• Cobi Jones is USA’s record caps holder and played in three FIFA World Cups

• He believes 2026 edition of global finals can be the greatest ever

• USA will co-host 48-team tournament with Canada and Mexico

Cobi Jones has experienced the unique mix of emotions that come with representing your country at a home FIFA World Cup™.

The pressure, excitement and intensity levels were dialled up to new heights when the tournament headed Stateside in 1994 – and Jones and his USA team-mates rose to the challenge. The Americans thrilled their adoring fans by progressing past the group phase for the first time in 60 years and pushed eventual champions Brazil all the way before being edged out in the Round of 16.

“What sticks out most is the huge attention we got,” Jones tells FIFA.com. “It was like nothing I’d ever felt before. That’s what is going to be like for the US players in 2026. They may not feel like it yet but, when this tournament comes around, they will be superstars here.”

Jones is braced for a soccer “explosion” when the United States co-hosts the FIFA World Cup 26™ with Canada and Mexico.

“The fact we have three host countries makes this World Cup special,” Jones says. “It will pull the whole region together. It's an opportunity for the different federations to work together to make this the best World Cup ever. You’re also going to have fans going across borders to see different games and experience new cultures. It’s a cool dynamic.”

USA’s record appearance holder, Jones won 164 caps in a 12-year international career and has been part of the sport’s fabric in the United States for more than three decades. He is now one of his country’s most respected broadcasters, regularly providing expert analysis on MLS and USA national team games to millions of fans.

“Being a good commentator, I believe, is about showing how much joy you feel for the game,” says Jones. “I want it to be like I'm sitting next to someone at a bar and they’ve started asking me questions. That’s the onus I put on myself, to educate. I want people to love this game like I love it.”

Jones played in three World Cups – he humbly highlights “health, good genetics and versatility” as the core reasons for his longevity – and was part of the side which reached the quarter-finals at Korea/Japan 2002. That was USA’s best World Cup performance since they finished third at the inaugural edition in 1930 – and Jones is convinced the modern generation can write their own history in 2026.

The Americans’ Qatar 2022 campaign ended with a last-16 defeat to the Netherlands, yet their displays in the Middle East provided much cause for optimism. USA’s squad boasted an average age of just 25.2 years and was the second youngest at the tournament.

“This group can do something big,” Jones says. “They've gone through a World Cup together and most of them are going to be at their prime age in 2026. I believe they can go further than any US team has ever gone in a World Cup. That’s the expectation and that's what we've got to look at now. You can't be satisfied with just making it to the next round. You've got to look beyond that and say, ‘Hey, we have to put ourselves up with the big boys.’”

Now aged 53, Jones remains totally immersed in football. As well as his commentary role, he sits on U.S Soccer’s ‘Game Changers United’ Council, which aims to enhance diversity in the sport, and works with LA Galaxy to promote their local and international community initiatives. He is also a founding investor of NWSL team, Angel City FC.

“It’s pretty hectic, especially juggling my roles with being a husband and a dad! But it all keeps me in tune with the game I love.” Read on for more of our interview with Jones, who opens up on why Los Angeles will be the perfect stage for USA’s World Cup 26 opener, former team-mate David Beckham’s influence on MLS, and the most cherished moment in his international career…

Cobi Jones: Growth. It's all about growth. It's so exciting. If it's anything like this last World Cup [in 2022], we're going to see another explosion within the United States. That's what we see with every World Cup. With the US hosting, it will go to another level and if the US does well, that growth will accelerate. There is so much opportunity here.

To have the United States' opening game in my city, wow. The stadium is gorgeous. For people who haven't been there before, they will be in awe of it. Also, there is so much passion for the game in Los Angeles. It’s an international community – you have so much diversity here and so many people who love soccer. We now have three teams here: the Galaxy, LAFC and Angel City FC in the NWSL. There's been a significant fanbase within LA for decades and it is growing.

It gives MLS more notoriety and more attention to the game. In LA, we've had stars like David Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. That significantly increased the eyeballs on MLS in the United States and internationally. Fast-forward to today, and you have (Lionel) Messi and (Luis) Suarez and so many other players at a high level. That attracts players who maybe aren't superstars – but they are future stars. All of a sudden, it's not an issue for players in their early and mid-20s to say, ‘Yeah, I'm going to come to MLS’. I believe you'll now see more of those players [in their prime years] making the decision to come here.

One thing I've learned is, never underestimate David Beckham. What he's done there has been fantastic. I don't think anyone thought he was going to pull something like this off! He and his team have done something spectacular by signing Messi. They’ve then made those additional signings, bringing in the likes of Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez. They're making all the right moves on the field and bringing a lot of attention to MLS.

I'm getting all the highlights from my son, he's always saying, 'Hey, did you see the goal Pulisic scored!?' I'm very impressed with what Christian is doing, scoring goals and playing at a top level.

Of course, as the captain, he’s a big player for the US. Not only because he’s a huge talent, but for his experience and leadership abilities. You must have a good group dynamic if you're going to have success. In 1994, by no rights should we have accomplished so much, but it was because we had a great group. In 2002, how did we do so well? It was the same. We had a group that fought together. There are other times when we didn't do so well, and that's usually when the group is separated and there are different dynamics going on. France 1998 was the perfect example [when USA were eliminated in the group stage]. You've got to be united. For Pulisic, bringing the squad together is going to be his biggest job and, with his experience, I’m sure he can be that leader.

For sure, the USA-Mexico Round of 16 game in 2002. Throughout my years with the team, even when we beat Mexico, the talk from their fans and some of my Mexican team-mates [with LA Galaxy] was, 'We're the better side, that match didn't matter…’ Then we matched up at the highest possible level in the World Cup. When it came down to it, we got the victory. That was a highlight of my career. Mexican fans are so passionate and still come up to me and say, 'Mexico is so much better...’ but as far as I’m concerned, the last game I played against you guys, we won 2-0 in the World Cup! That keeps everyone quiet – they say, 'Okay, you got it there!'